ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have placed pitcher Yu Darvish on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow.

Darvish was supposed to pitch on Thursday against the Rays, but left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. will be called up and start instead. The Rangers have called up left-handed reliever Alex Claudio from Triple-A Round Rock to hold down a spot in the bullpen for at least Wednesday night.

Darvish told the Rangers he did not feel the elbow bothering him during Saturday's start against the Astros. He did feel it when he tried to play catch on Monday and it has not improved since then. Darvish, who allowed six runs in four-plus innings in the start against the Astros, did not throw his usual bullpen session on Tuesday.

Darvish was examined on Tuesday night by Dr. Keith Meister, who did not think there was anything wrong with the ligament in the elbow. Meister's initial diagnosis was inflammation, but Darvish will undergo an MRI on Thursday.

"Yu expressed he could pitch if we were in a different spot," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "If we were in a more meaningful spot [in the standings], Yu would be good to go. But he agreed and we agreed to be cautious and smart about it."

Darvish, who was 10-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 22 starts this season, is expected to undergo further tests on Thursday. This is the third time Darvish has been on the disabled list in his career. He missed two weeks last season with a strained trapezius muscle in the back of his right shoulder and opened this season on the disabled list with stiffness in his neck.

Daniels said the Rangers are not thinking about shutting Darvish down for the season.

"That's real premature," Daniels said. "I don't think so. That's not where his head is and that's not where our head is."

Ross is being recalled from Round Rock, where he was 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA in eight starts and one relief appearance. He had a 2.91 ERA in his last five starts. Ross, who opened the season in the Rangers' rotation, was 2-4 with a 5.61 ERA in nine starts and nine relief appearances before being optioned to Round Rock on June 17.

Claudio, a 27th-round pick by the Rangers in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, was a combined 6-3 with a 1.66 ERA in nine starts and 18 relief appearances at Class A Myrtle Beach, Double-A Frisco and Round Rock. Opponents were hitting .224 off him, including .195 by left-handed batters. He has a 2.05 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in his Minor League career.